Our Family Tree
by irishwerewolf
Summary: Post-War from the Movie Verse. Sophie and Howl are getting married, but before they can walk down the aisle they have to make a family tree to show all magical ties, as Wizard Law dictates. Will Sophie and Howl's relationship survive?
1. Chapter 1: Still missing

**Hey Guys! Tell me if I got something wrong...Bon Apetite!**

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Howl's POV

I open the door to the castle and I'm greeted with a warm hug from Sophie and a dozen questions from Markl and Calcifer. I smile down at Sophie and she smiles back at me. I lean down and kiss her forehead and lead her back up to the living room to our couch. We sit down and I let the questions begin.

"Go ahead," I say.

Calcifer asks the question on everyone's mind, "How did the mission go?"

"Well," I let out a sigh, "we are still having a hard time locating them, but we have several leads to where they might be."

Sophie looks worried. "Nothing?" I grimly shake my head. Tears start to form in her warm-chocolate brown eyes. I pull my arms around her and embrace her in a hug. I hear a few sobs and within moments my shirt is drenched in her tears. I tip her head up so she can see me. Her eyes are rimmed with red and tear streaks stain her face.

"We're looking everywhere. We haven't given up searching yet, and we won't until they have been found."

"Promise?" she chokes out.

"Promise." I wrap my arms around her small frame and hold her close as she resumes crying. We stay there like that for a while. After a few more sobs, Sophie sits up.

"I'll be in the bath," she announces and leaves for the bathroom. After we hear the bathroom door click shut and the bath water turn on, Calcifer and Markl look at me and begin asking me questions.

"So you didn't find them yet?" Calcifer asks.

"No. I really wish I could, but everytime I get a lead it turns out to be a deadend or a trap."

"A...a trap?" Markle stutters.

"Yes, a trap, a trick, a lie." Calcifer looks at me searching for some sign that it wasn't true.

"Who would do something like that?" Markl asks.

"Possibly one of the wizards that couldn't turn back into a human after the war."

"But its their fault for turning themselves into those beasts!"

"Markl, you have to understand that these wizards didn't know that that would happen. They come to me and ask if I can turn them human again. I refuse, and they think its because I think of it as revenge-"

Markl interrupts, "But Master Howl, you don't like revenge!"

"Yes, but these wizards have to have some reasin, so they use that as their excuse."

Calcifer pipes up after a while. "You said all your leads either dead-ended or turned out to be traps, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"How many traps have you hit?"

"Only a few."

"And were they well planned or could you sensse something was off?"

"I sensed something was wrong, and all the traps were only meant to capture me, not to alert the wizards of my location. Where are you going with this?"

"Well, since very few of your missions have ended in traps, I think it's safe to assume that it's not a wizard."

Markl glanced between the demon and I. "What does that mean?"

I kept silent for a few moments before answering Markl.

"It means that either Sophie's family is one of two things," I say before looking up at the stair case. I stay silent for a moment and listen for the bath water running. Good, Sophie's still in the bathroom.

Calcifer looks at me worriedly. Markl catches it. "What two things would that be?"

I zone out thinking about Sophie and how broken she would feel if she heard any of this. I really don't like hiding secrets from her, but this is one secret I have to keep.

"Howl? HOWL!" I hear Calcifer screeching.

"Shhhh! I don't want Sophie to hear." I glance back at the stairs, and listen for the water. Still running.

Markl again asks me, "What two things are Sophie's family?"

"One possiblity is that they're on their way back here as we speak."

"And the other?"

Calcifer casts a worried glance at me. "Dead."

Markl spins around to look at the fire demon. "Dead?"

"They could be, probably not, but the possiblity still exists." Calcifer explains.

"Wow..." Markl whispers.

I hear the water shut off, the door open, and soft footsteps on the staircase. I get up, and walk over to Sophie.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

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**So? What did you guys think? Please Read & Review! **


	2. Chapter 2: Memory Lane

**Hey Guys! Thanks for the reviews. It means a lot to me, so thanks **

**Also, I've made a huge decision: I will be alternating each chapter between Howl and Sophie. So every other chapter will alternate between Howl and Sophie. For example, this chapter picks up where the last chapter left off. Just in case you were wondering :)**

**Disclaimer: I am not Hayao Miazaki or Dianna Jones, so none of the characters belong to me, sadly.**

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Sophie's POV

"Are you okay?" he asks me, blue eyes shining down into mine, brow creased with worry.

"I'm better now," I say. He guides me over to the couch where we curl up.

I settle into his arms and we watch the Calcifer's flames dance in the fire place. After a while, I look over at Markl only to realize that he's asleep. Heen is curled around his feet sleeping as well. I nudge Howl and point at Markl. He nods and gets up. He saunters over to Markl, picks him up and carries him upstairs to his bedroom.

I look over at Calcifer. "What were you talking about earlier?"

Calcifer pauses and thinks about what he is about to say. "Whatever we were talking about, you will find out on your own," he says when we hear Howl making his way down the stair case. He walks back over to the couch and sits back down. He drapes his arm over my shoulders, and looks at me, eyes full of adoration.

"Sophie?" he asks murmering my name into my hair as he rests his head against mine.

"Hmm?" I mumble.

"When a wizard gets married, the couple has to make a record of all magical and nonmagical ties within their families' pasts before they can get married," he says. Wait! Did he just say...

He cups his hand under my chin and brings my eyes to his. "Sophie?"

"Yes?" I breathe out. He slides off the couch, and reaches for something behind Calcifer.

Howl gets down on one knee and puts a small box in his hands. I pull both hands close to my chest, like I did that day when we first met.

"Sophie, a year ago on May Day our lives were changed for the better. We were both trying to escape from people who we didn't want to have anything to do with. I was escaping from a woman who loved me, and you were trying to escape from two soldiers. We ran into each other and our lives were forever entwined. I help you escape, and showed you what it felt like to walk on air. I held you in my arms for all but twenty seconds, but it was enough for you to make an imprint on my mind. You were on my mind day and night, until you re-entered my life as a cleaning lady. From that point on, my life would never be the same. You cleaned every bit you could, messed with my hair, and saved me from myself. I could never think of a wat to thank you enough until now."

He pauses and opens the small box and inside lies a...a...

"Sophie, will you marry me?"

I close my eyes and when I open them, Howl is still there. If this isn't a dream, then it must be my dream come true. My eyes swell with tears. Howl looks at me wondering if he did something wrong. I jump into his arms and wrap my arms around his body.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" I cry as I hug him. Shocked from my reaction, he slowly responds my wrapping his arms around my waist. When I sit back, he smiles at me. I smile back as I lean in. He meets my lips, and we share a kiss. A cough from Calcifer manages to break us up. I lean back and Howl slides the ring on my finger. I admire it. A diamond sits in a silver band. When I look closer at it, it glows orange and three small words shine in red in the stone: "I love you." I wrap my arms around his neck as he picks me up and carries me to our room. He lies me down, and slides in next to me. The moonlight through the window shines into the room, and I close my eyes as Howl wraps his arms around my waist pulling me closer to him.

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	3. Chapter 3: Reality Gone Wrong

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**Disclaimer: I am not Hayao Miazaki or Dianna Jones, so none of the characters belong to me, sadly.**

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Howl's POV

I slide in next to Sophie and wrap my arms around her waist as she falls asleep. Bathed in the moonlight, her beauty knows no limits. Her starlight hair shines even brighter. Her face looks like moonlight itself, glowing in the night. I sigh and smile down at my love, my fiancee, my Sophie. I position my head right behind hers, and bury my face in her beautiful hair.

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When I wake up the other side of the bed is cold. Sophie must have gotten up earlier to make breakfast, but I don't smell anything. Weird. I get up to go investigate. I sleepily saunter down the hallway to Markl's room. I softly knock on the door.

"Markl?"_ YAWN! _"Markl! It's time to get up..."

He must be sleeping still. I knock again.

"Come on Markl, it's time for breakfast!" Why isn't he answering?

I reach for the brass doorknob, and open the door. "Markl?" I call into the void that is my apprentice's bedroom. I walk in and move towards the bed. That's odd, he's not in his room either. The sheets are all made, and there's no trace of Heen or Markl where here at all. He must be downstairs with Sophie.

I trudge over to the staircase and plop one foot down after the other. They're probably right there at the table eating breakfast. I rub my sleepy eyes and make my way over to the hearth to get some food from the frying pan. I stretch and open my eyes. That's odd. Where's Sophie's frying pan with breakfast in it? That's when I realize that more than a few poeple are missing. Where's Calcifer? And Markl? Most importantly, where's Sophie?

I hear the door creak open. I look at the door wide open to nothing. I warily walk over to the door and look at the dial. There's only one color on it: black. I look back at the open door. What's going on? Where is everybody? I take a tentative step forward and walk into the darkness. The door slams shut behind me. I reach for the handle, but my fingers find none. I bang on the door clinging onto the hope that maybe they just left for the market perhaps. I hope that when they come back, they'll hear me and open it for me.

My efforts proving futile, I slump down against the door. I tear up. What if I never see them again? What will Sophie think? Will she think that I stopped loving her? Will she think that I thought she wasn't pretty enough for me? Oh Sophie. I pull my knees against my chest, wraps my arms around my knees, and plop my head on my arms. I sniffle and feel like crying. Crying over what little chance I had at love and blowing it. Wait! If I can get out of here, maybe I can find a way out. The only way out being forward, I stand up and start walking.

I walk and walk and walk for what seems like an eternity until I reach what looks like the same door, only this time it has a handle. I open the heavy wrought door and I find myself in the royal dungeon. I have only heard rumors about what the dungeon looks like, and how dark and dreary it is. It's not as bad as ex-prisoners claim it is. Sure it's moldy and damp, but it's not dark or dreary. Why did the door lead me here? I look around. The first thing I see is Sophie's apron strewn across the floor. I slowly walk over to it thinking it might be a trick or a trap. I reach down to pick it up when a scream pierces my ears.

"SOPHIE!"

It sounds like Markl. Where is he? What's happening to Sophie? I break into a run following the echos of Markl's scream through the corridors and hallways. I reach a wrought iron gate, and on the other side I see Markl and Heen being fading away. They were surrounding a body on the ground. I throw the gate open and rush to the body. When I get there, I see the figure on the ground is...is...SOPHIE! I rush over to her and pick her limp body up, blood oozing out of a wound near her heart. My eyes blur with tears, my head rages with fury.

"SOPHIE! SOPHIE WAKE UP! SOPHIE!" I scream at her. She whispers my name, "Howl. Howl?" I hear something.

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"Howl? Howl. HOWL!" Sophie calls. I wake with a jolt. I look up at her beautiful face, now creased with worry. She's looking down at me from her spot on our bed.

"Howl, it was just a nightmare," Sophie quiety tells me as she places a hand on my shoulder.

"Sophie!" I cry as I sit up and embrace her in a warm hug. It wasn't real, it was just dream. It wasn't real, it was just a dream. It wasn't real, it was just a dream...I repeat to myself over and over in my head.

"Shh. It's okay Howl, it was just a bad dream. Shh," she whispers in my ear as she wraps one arm around me and rubs my back with the other.

I pull back and look at my lovely Sophie. I brush my hand along the side of her face, reminding myself it was all a dream. Just a bad dream.

"Sophie?"

"Yes Howl?" she asks me worriedly.

"Is it time for breakfast yet?" I ask with a smile. She smiles at me and laughs.

"Yes Howl, yes it is."

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	4. Chapter 4: Morning Flight

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**Also, I realize I am strying a bit from the actual plot thus far, but as I am still writing this Fiction, I have plenty of time to turn that around. YAY!**

****I will only post each chapter when I get a review. For example: One Review=One New Chapter. I will follow this until I feel the story is finished. Sorry, it's just how I roll****

**Disclaimer: I am not Hayao Miazaki or Dianna Jones, so none of the characters belong to me, sadly.**

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Sophie's POV

"Is it time for breakfast yet?" Howl asks me. I burst out laughing. He wakes up from a nightmare and instead of going back to sleep or asking me what happened, he asks for _breakfast_? Of all the things he could ask for, he asks for breakfast?

"Yes Howl, yes it is," I reply before sliding out of bed. But before I can get out, Howl grabs my wrist and gives me a pleading look.

"Can we sit here for a bit?" he asks me.

"I thought you wanted breakfast?" I ask.

"I do, in a bit. But right now, I just want to sit with you for a while." I give him a skeptical look. "Besides," he explains, "It's not even sunrise yet." I look out the window. The moon is still in the sky, but you can see a pale dawn starting to grow. I let out a sigh of defeat and crawl back into our warm bed.

Howl smiles as I settle back in next to him. With the quiet time, I get to thinking...

"Howl?"

"Hmm?"

"When I was under the Witch of the Waste's curse," he looks at me, his curiosity peaked, "could you see past my curse?"

"Pardon me?"

"When I was Grandma Sophie, how did you know it was me?" I further inquire.

"I couldn't see past it, per say. I had a feeling that it was you, but I wasn't quite sure." he tells me, "It wasn't until that first night after you came to the castle that I knew it was you." I look at him curiously. First night?

"What do you mean?"

"Your first night at the castle. You were sleeping when I came back home in the middle of the night. The curse didn't affect you when you were sleeping. It was the you I rescued from the guards. It was the you I taught how to fly. It was the you that captured my heart and mind," Howl explains to me eyes shining with love. "It was at that moment I knew that the older version of you was the version I wouldn't mind growing old with. That moment I realized that I was falling in love with you. From that moment on, I knew you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

I look up at him, and realize that even when I was under a spell, he managed to see throught that to who I really was. He fell in love with me for me, not because I was beautiful. It wasn't until I realized who I was that he fell in love with me entirely. I lean in and smile. I lean in further and meet his lips with a kiss. After a second or so, I feel his lips press back. In that kiss, I feel all the love he has for me. Howl is the one to break the kiss. He looks out the window, and smiles.

I look at him and wonder what he's thinking about. He looks back at me, still smiling. Without a word of explanation, Howl scoops me up, and carries me up several flights of stairs to the balcony overlooking the castle as we fly through the skies. He lets go of me so I can stand on my own. Why did he bring me up here I wonder as I look up at him. As if sensing what I'm about to ask him, Howl brings a finger to his lips and points out at the sky. I look where his finger is pointing, and see the sunrise coming up.

I lift my hand to cover my eyes from the glare, but keep my eyes open to watch. I see dozens of colors paint the morning dawn. Bright yellow hues, warms orange tones, and a few remaining shades of midnight blue fade from the sky as the sunrise takes control. I feel Howl drape his arm behind me, so his hand lies on my waist.

I look behind me at my love. He smiles down at me and lays his lips across mine. I kiss him back as his arm snakes around to my shoulders. Without warning he breaks the kiss and sweeps me up bridal style. Howl steps up onto the rail of the balcony. I look at him and try to protest. But before I get a word in edge wise, Howl steps off the railing. We fall for a few seconds before Howl starts walking on the air like that day we first met. Howl stops and sets me down next to him. He smiles at me, takes my hand, wraps his own hand around it and asks me a question: "Ready?"

I smile and nod and we walk on air to the kitchen. When we reach the door, Howl steps on the small platform and opens the door for me. I walk in with Howl following behind me. I make my way over to the hearth and start breakfast while Howl goes and gets Markl up. I smile as I fry the eggs and bacon. Calcifer looks at me like I'm a crazy person or something.

"What?" I ask the fire demon.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all." he nonchalauntly replies.

"No really what?"

"Nothing! Honestly." Calfier says.

"Calcifer..."

"Fine. I was just wondering when you and Howl were going to start planning the wedding."

"OH MY GOSH!"

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**So? What did you guys think? Do I need to work on the sunset scene or their kisses? Please, please, please Read and Review! Every review helps me make the story better! Thanks:)**

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	5. Chapter 5: Awkwardness and Sickness

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**Sorry for not updating sooner, but this week I was booked every afternoon, so I couldn't escape to my laptop to finish writing this chapter. Do not worry, I am in progress of writing the next chapter so as soon as I get my next review, I will update immediately. **

**Disclaimer: I am not Hayao Miazaki or Dianna Jones, so none of the characters belong to me, sadly.**

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Howl's POV

"OH MY GOSH!" Sophie screeches from down stairs.

What's going on? Did she burn the breakfast? Did she forget about someone's birthday? I abandon my post at Markl's door at the thought of something going wrong downstairs. I rush through the corridor to the staircase and take the steps two at a time until I can see Sophie. She's standing there, wooden spoon in hand, with a shocked look on her face.

"What? What's going on?" I blurt out.

Sophie blushes and looks at me. "I...we...Calcifer..." she stammers trying to figure how to say whatever she's so embarrased about.

I take a deep breath and calmy walk over to her. I take the frying pan with the nearly overdone breakfast off of Calcifer and sit Sophie down on the couch. I look my love in her warm chocolate brown eyes and wonder what could have embarrased her so badly.

"Sophie?"

She blushes even harder and slowly leads her eyes to mine. "Mmhhhhmmmm?"

I chuckle. What's got her blushing brighter than a tomato? I glance over at Calcifer who seems to be enjoying this. Was he involved in making Sophie embarrased?

"Why don't you go wake Markl up for breakfast? I seem to be having a lot of difficulty in doing so." She jumps at the opportunity to leave the scene of the crime. I wait until I hear the door to Markl's room close.

"Calcifer?"

"Y-yes." he says almost breaking his straight face.

"Why is Sophie blushing so badly?"

"Oh no reason, no reason at all."

"Really?"

"Quite postitive." the demon lies.

"Nice try Calcifer. You asked her about our relationship didn't you?" Calcifer's smile drops and molds into a look of awe.

"Did you learn how to read my mind recently?"

"Nope. You stink at lying and I can read you face like a book. There's nothing that will embarass Sophie other than bringing up our relationship." The demon curses under his breath. "So, what did you ask her about?"

He looks as if he is deciding to tell the truth or fail at lying some more. "I asked her when you were going to start planning the wedding." I let out a groan. Why of all things did he ask her _that_? She smiles at me, looking relieved that she's not the only one who finds this situation awkward.

I hear the steps coming down the stairs. I shoot the fire demon a death glare, and turn around to see my fiancee coming down the stairs right behind a groggy Markl. The poor boy looks like he's lost a lot of sleep.

"Hey Markl? How you feeling buddy?" I wonder aloud.

"Ughhh..."

"He's not feeling too good today," Sophie explains ruffling my apprentice's hair.

"He looks sick." My thoughts are confirmed when he groans and runs to the bathroom. Sophie follows close behind, a worried expression plastered on her face. Over the next few minutes, I hear violent coughing and hacking. When Sophie and Markl come back out of the bathroom, Markl looks pale as winter but feels warm like summer. Sophie leads him back upsatairs to his bedroom so he can rest. When she comes back down the staircase, I'm at the bottom waiting for her. She wraps her arms around my neck and pecks my upper lip before looking at me. I can tell her mind is bursting with questions.

"Where should I begin?" I ask her seeing her internal battle on which of her many questions to start asking me.

"I thought that wizards didn't get sick."

"On the contrary, all wizards are born human, but it isn't until they're older that their powers show."

"And this explains things how?" she puzzles.

"Wizards are born human. Humans can catch diseases. Therefore wizards can get sick just like everyone else." I explain.

"Oh." Sophie says simply before we hear Markl moaning upstairs. She takes the stairs two at a time and in a few moments some more violent coughing and hacking can be heard coming from the upstairs bathroom. When Sophie comes back down the stairs, she grabs a towel and a bowl and rushes back upstairs. Looks like she'll be busy with Markl all day.

"Calcifer?" I see the fire demon flare up.

"What? I was about to get some shut-eye," he complains.

"Not now. Sophie's upstairs taking care of Markl while he's sick-"

"Wait and this involves me how?"

"Well earlier she was embarrased about not planning the wedding. But both you and I know that the wedding cannot be planned until the family tree has been charted out." Calcifer nods.

"I still don't see the problem here."

"The problem is I already have my part of our family tree drawn out, but for Sophie's part on the map, we're in the dark until we find her family or dig up some record that survived the war." I turn towards the door and put my hand on the portal knob when I hear the fire flare.

"Wait! So your reason for finding Sophie's family is so you can get married?" Calcifer inquires.

"That's only part of it. The other part is for Sophie's sake." I explain to my old friend. Understanding crosses his face.

"What should I tell Sophie when she asks where you went?"

"I am out running errands."

"Like what? She gets the groceries and cloth and other supplies every week." Calcifer points out trying to poke holes in my excuse.

"Getting medicine for Markl. Sophie knows that since the war ended, medicine has been scarce around here as doctors are too expensive, and wizards can cure almost anything with the proper ingredients."

Calcifer nods. I look up the stairs. Sophie, I promise I won't return without them this time. I grab the handle, turn the portal to black, open the door, and disappear in search of my soon to be in-laws.

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**So? What did you guys think? Did I do a good job on returning to the original plot? Please, please, please Read and Review! Every review helps me make the story better! Thanks:)**


	6. Chapter 6: A Demon's Secrets

**Hey Guys! Thank you so much for reviewing. You know it means the world to me? Also, sorry I didn't update sooner...homework, tests, projects, homework, papers, finals and did I mention homework? **

****Important: This chapter, I am interrupting Sophie's POV for Calcifer's, to see things from a different point of view quickly. I promise I will immediately return to Sophie's POV after this chapter. NO SPOILERS, SO DON'T ASK!****

**Disclaimer: I am not Hayao Miyazaki or Dianne Jones, so none of the characters belong to me, sadly.**

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Calcifer's POV

"Sophie, I promise I won't return without them this time," Howl thinks almost as if he's talking to himself. He grabs the handle and leaves.

I sometimes wonder if Howl knows that he and I are still connected. Obviously, Howl has his heart back and lost the ability to transform into that giant raven, but I'm curious if he knows that I can hear his thoughts. I know he can't hear mine, but I can hear his.

I glance at the staircase. When Howl sets his mind to something, he doesn't give in or give up. He loves Sophie with all his heart. But that can be bad sometimes. But what happens if Sophie's family is dead? I look back at the door silently hoping that he finds them soon.

I can hear only Howl's thoughts, but I can read everyone's emotions and depending on the person, their thoughts occasionally.

I cast my glance back at the staircase for a moment. Sophie's worried about Markl, but deep down she's even more worried about Howl and if he's going to try and do something stupidly rash.

Oh, Sophie. You don't know the half of it.

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**Sorry, I know it's short, but I wanted a snippet of what Calcifer was thinking of not really a full chapter. Other than that, what did you guys think? Good, small chapter? Please, please, please Read and Review! Every review helps me make the story better! Thanks:)**


	7. Chapter 7: Past Coming Back

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****Sorry for going off plot here guys, I return on-plot (kind-of) at the end****

**Disclaimer: I am not Hayao Miyazaki or Dianne Jones, so none of the characters belong to me, sadly.**

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Sophie's POV

I rub Markl's back in small circles as he attempts to cough up what little is left in his stomach. His small frame shakes with each cough. After a few minutes he stops retching and sits back. He puts out his small hand and I help him back in his bed.

"Hey Marlk. How you feeling?" I ask.

"Sophie?" Markl murmurs out silently.

"It's me buddy. Is there anything you need?"

"It's really hot in here, Sophie." he all but whispers. I pull back his comforter and run to the bathroom to quickly wash a wet cloth. I lay the washcloth on his forehead. My hand brushes his splotchy red cheek and is greeted by unnormally warm skin. He's really hot. I run and get the thermometer from the medicine cabinet in the hallway.

"Markl?" He opens his eyes and looks over at me.

"Do you think you can you open your mouth so I can take your temperature?" He opens his mouth slowly. I stick the thermometer under his tongue for a minute. I look at the thermometer. It reads 105 degrees Farenheight. I gently pulls the thermometer from his mouth.

"Thank you." I turn to leave, when I feel a small hand wrapped around my wrist.

"Sophie?" I turn to look at Markl.

"Yes?"

"Am I going to die?" I'm shocked by his question. Die? He might be sick with a minor head cold, but probably nothing fatal. My hand rests on his cheek and I smile down at Markl.

"No, Markl. You're going to be just fine as long as you get some rest and don't do anything to stressful for a while." I reply.

He looks at me with his tired eyes and tries to give me a thumbs up as if he were saying, "Okay." I stroke the top of his head and watch as his eyes droop and he falls asleep.

I tip-toe out of the room as quietly as I I can, but in an old, flying castle I can only do so much before the floorboards creak. I freeze petrified with worry. Did I wake him up? Everything is dead silent as I listen for a moan, a cry, a word of assistance from the room I vacated. After a few moments of silence, I resume sneaking back down stairs one creaky floorboard at a time.

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At the bottom, Calcifer is looking at the door.

"Are you staring into space or seeing if you can make the door spontaneously combust by staring at it?" I questioned.

His flame flares a tiny bit in shock, as if he just realized a person was in the room. He slowly peels his gaze away from the door to look at me. He stares at me for a moment, back at the door, then at me again. Is he hiding something from me.

"How's Markl doing?" he asks me. He didn't answer my question, but I answer his anyway.

"He's fine. He just fell asleep, so I can have a short break." A silence ensues. Not an awkward silence, more of a loaded silence. A silence filled with dozens of possiblities for conversation. This kind of silence is uncomfortable and yet comfortable at the same time. Loaded with unanswered questions and things that should be said but aren't.

"Calcifer?" I timidly ask. His brow creases with worry as if I'm about to ask a question that could open any number of doors. What's he hiding?

"Yes?"

"I was just wondering, do you know what Markl might be sick with?" I ask him. He sighs, which comes out as a wisp of smoke. "Is isn't a magical sickness or anything is it?"

"No. Like Howl said earlier, wizards are born human. He didn't explain everything though. Wizards are born human, and when their powers grow in they aren't any less human then they were before. Howl was a special case. He read about how some wizards would do certain things to become more powerful. All cases have to do with the exchange of your heart. Some wizards get rid of their hearts thinking that they can't fall prey to love that way. Others believe that if you trade your heart with another magical being, that you will both be given certain abilities so you can understand the person you traded your heart with. This was usually done with married witches and wizards who wanted to have a deeper, more personal relationship. Howl did an extension of this by trading his heart with a demon rather than another person."

"But I still don't understand how this pertains to Markl-"

"Markl's parents are an example of the witches and a wizards that tried to trade their hearts with one another. Some of the attempts to gain more power failed. Markl's parents were one of the unfortuante cases. They followed the spell exactly, but either one of them was having second thoughts about switching hearts or they lost focus thinking about soemthing else. It could have been anything that made it fail. In those few moments that his parents were attempting to switch hearts, the possiblilty was there that Markl could have recieved some of the powers his parents were trying to get if one of them thought about him."

"So you're saying..."

"Markl may have been infected with magical abilities that he shouldn't have unless he traded his heart."

"Is it possible that his parents tried to do a three way heart swap?" I wonder aloud.

"No, his heart would be too small for a grown adult. Also, he would have been too young. Even Howl had just met the minimum age for heart trading when he exchanged his heart for my star. So if Markl's parents had tried to trade his heart, he would have died," Calcifer explains listing off the impossiblities. "My guess is some of the powers given in trading hearts went to Markl when one of his mother thought about him instead of his father-"

"And because she didn't recieve the powers, it failed and caused their deaths!" I finish excitedly. "But that doesn't explain his sickness."

Calcifer looks down and thinks for a moment, mouth tight in thought. He looks up at me after a moment. "The powers can't be used unless he exchanges his heart. So when he tries to do a really powerful spell the powers are trying to be used, but they can't be used unless he trades his heart."

"Is that something he can do? Is he old enough?"

"We'll ask Howl when he gets back. For now it's best that Markl just rests and lays off the magic for a while."

Wait! When Howl gets _back_?

"What do you mean, 'when Howl gets back'?"

Calcifer's flame pales to a light yellow. He looks as if he's said something he wasn't supposed to.

"He's out getting medicine for Markl," he all but blurts out.

"You're lying."

"How do you know if I am or am not?"

"You looked as if you had said something you hadn't meant to and you blurted out the answer that sounds like you've rehearsed it just in case I ask where Howl dissappeared to." I reason. Calcifer looks back at the door in shame trying to decide whether or not to tell me the truth.

"He's...he's looking for them."

"W-wh-what?" I stammer out as I stumble backwards looking for the couch with my hand.

"He went looking for your family again."

I find the couch and plop down on it. The soft seat cushions cradling me as if Howl were here comforting me himself. I hold my face in my hands, and feel tears well up in my eyes. He couldn't have left. It's just a dream. He's out getting medicine for Markl, that's all. It's just a dream. He'll be back soon. It's just a dream, Sophie. Hot, salty tears stream down my cheeks in a river.

"Sophie?" Calcifer tentitively asks.

"Y-yes?"

"Howl knows they're alive," I feel my eyes widen with shock, "It's just a matter of finding them."

"I think it's time I went to check on Markl."

"SOPHIE!"

"What?" I hiss back at the fire demon.

"He's out looking for them because unless you have a family record in the ruins of the hat shop, you have no way of finding out if there have been any wizards in your family. If you have no way of finding out your family history, you two can't get married."

I'm taken aback by his words. He's so straightforward with how he talks. He didn't cover it up by saying it in a gentle manner, he just plunges the knife of cold, hard truth in.

"He did it because he loves you and he knows how much your family means to you whether that be your original family or your family yet to come," Calcifer explains nodding to the engagement ring on my finger. My face an unreadable mask, I nod in understanding.

"I know you're right. I'm just worried about him." I say before I head upstairs to check on Markl.

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**So? What did you guys think? Did this make up for the lack of length in the last chapter? Please, please, please Read and Review! Every review helps me make the story better! Thanks :)**

**Longest chapter! Woot! Woot! :D**


	8. Chapter 8: Sister in Law

**Hey Guys! Thank you so much for reviewing. You know it means the world to me?**

**I apologize for not updating sooner, but because of this terrible thing called finals, it is hard for me to pull away from studying and actually writing stuff for you.**

**Disclaimer: I am not Hayao Miyazaki or Dianne Jones, so none of the characters belong to me, sadly.**

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Howl's POV

I grab the handle and step into the void produced by turning the dial to the black option. Liquid nothing surrounds me as I walk through the doorway. Darkness gives way to the glow emitted by my body, as it usually does when I enter the void. I put my hand in front of my face, I can see my hand and the bright glow surrounding it, but nothing beyond that. There's nothing to see in here, but at least I can see where I'm going. I put one foot out, and start walking.

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. My feet carry me while I think about the mission that has thus far led to several dead ends.

Sophie. My love, the only one who ever truly stole my heart. Well, I mean, technically Calcifer stole my heart, but then again I stole his star... I shake my head clearing it from the internal debate that was about to happen.

Sophie. So caring. She never really stopped caring. Not when bombs were being dropped on the hat shop. Not when I threw a tantrum over my acciedental black hair. Not even when I told her that her family might be gone. She just rolled up her sleeves and got to work. She's so strong. What did I do to deserve such a wonderful person? All I've ever been is vain, distant, and rather childish at times. How did I ever end up so lucky to be with someone as amazing as Sophie?

Sophie. I wonder what she's doing right now-

_It's okay. It's just a dream._

What was that? Probably my mind trying to reassure me that I'm not in any immenant danger.

_Howl's out getting medicine for Markl. _

Did I think that? I couldn't have. I don't usually refer to myself in third person...

_It's just a dream. It's okay, Sophie. _

I'm hearing Sophie's thoughts! How-?

_Howl will be back soon._

Will I? Sophie thinks I'll be home soon, but I don't even know when I'll return.

Thoughts swim around in my head like fish in a river. As I near the end of the void, a room I see there are people in the room. A girl about Sophie's age sits at a table patching up a pink dress. The girl has blonde hair, blue eyes and has Sophie's face. Could they be related?

I stop walking and just stare at the scene. The girl is wearing what used to be a green dress (not unlike the dresses Sophie wears), but now is a tattered frock patched up in numerous places. Her shoes I assume used to be shiny, black shop shoes, but are now worn soles barely attached to the top. Her curly, blond hair is singed and uneven in a haphazdard bun on the back of her head.

The dress she is mending seems familiar. I squint and try to see better. That's the waitress dress from Ceasari's Bakery. The sleeves are ripped at the top and the girl is removing the cloth that kept them poofed up. She pulls the cloth out of the sleeves, and lies it on the skirt, which is taking up most of the table. She cuts some of the pink material off of the sleeves and sews the now minimized sleeves back to the bodice.

The seams are a little uneven, but she doesn't seem to care. I smirk and snap my fingers. The seams even out and she stops mending the only other dress she owns. Her pupils dilate with shock. She looks around and I step out of the void, or her wall, I suppose. She looks at me in shock. Her azure eyes pour right into mine. Our gaze stays locked for a few moments as she tries to process what just happened. What she does next suprises me: she turns around and continues her mending. No fainting, or 'Oh my!'s. No theatrics whatsoever. She just turned around and continues sewing as if a wizard had not just stepped out of her wall.

"That's it?"

"What's it?" the girl asks, still facing forward.

"No fainting or screaming or beating me with a pillow trying to banish me to the mysterious place I came from?" At this, she turns around and looks at me.

"Sir, you just stepped out of my wall." She states this and blinks at me expectingly.

"And?"

"And! We just got out of a war fought with primarily magic. I've seen men transform into beasts, monsters pour out of alleyways, and half-man, half-bird creatures fly through the sky to stop an enemy plane from dropping bombs. I'm not scared of anything anymore," the girl says shaking her head, as if that proves her point.

"Still you couldn't have pretended to act scared or shocked?" I ask, a little dissapointed with her reaction.

"Witches and wizards can do incredible things like step through walls, I have seen that done before. But a wizard using their limitless powers to even out a seam, that is shocking."

My lips form an "O" in understanding. The girl motions to a chair at the table and continues to sew up her dress.

"So then, who are you and why are you here?" she asks me, eyes still on her dress.

"I could ask you the same thing." She stops sewing and looks at me. Her mouth says nothing, but her eyes say, "I asked you first."

I let out an exasperated sigh and begin. "I am simply a man looking for his bride's family."

"A wizard getting married? How peculiar."

"Why is that peculiar?"

"I just thought that wizards and witches didn't have hearts." She says smirking as she takes some thread and stitches up a gash in the skirt.

"Few witches and wizards are willing to risk their lives to be heartless."

"Were you one?"

I pause and think about Sophie and the mission. "I was, but that was before Sophie."

She stops sewing and looks at me, brow creased. "S-sophie? Sophie who?"

"My love, Sophie Hatter." She looks at the doorway, contemplating leaving or staying. She drops her gaze to the unfinished dress. Tears pool in her eyes as blue as the ocean.

"Sophie's alive?" she barely asks.

"She is. And judging by your reaction, Sophie means a lot to you yes?"

The ocean of tears turns into a river as she tries to talk to me. Her words come out as indistiguishable wails and sobs. I take her hand and look into her sorrowful eyes.

"Take a deep breath and calm down."

She sucks air in, holds it, and sighs it out.

"Better?" She nods.

"So, who are you and why is Sophie so important to you?" I ask her.

She sniffles and starts explaining. "S...Sophie is my eldest sister. I'm the middle child, Lettie."

All sober expression leaves my face. My mind tries to decide between being shocked, overwhelmed, or completely overjoyed. I cannot decide, so my mouth just hangs open.

"She ran away after May Day. Nobody knew why she left, we though she was tired of living a dull life and ran away. Nobody went after her because we didn't know where she had gone, and we all had other things to do. If Sophie wanted to run away, then she should be allowed to do so if that was what she wanted. I saw her on May Day and she looked stunned. She was going on and on about some wizard who had rescued her from two soldiers. I guess that was you, huh?"

I nod and she continues.

"I thought that she left to find you. She was raving about how kind and sweet you were. I guess that's what really happened-"

"The day after May Day, I was running away from an old flame who was still very infatuated with me. I couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful girl who I flew with the day before. Sophie blew me away. She was so timid, but she was beautiful as well. I couldn't get her out of my mind. And then when I returned to my home, an old lady was making breakfast with my apprentice. After a while, I figured it was Sophie."

"So, Sophie didn't go looking for you?"

"Actually, yes and no. Sophie was under a spell cast by my former flame, the Witch of the Waste. She wandered into the Waste. At first she was just trying not to be discovered by her family as being cursed. But then when she was far into the Waste, the weather took at turn for the worse, and went looking for a place to stay. My home was what she found." She nods, understanding.

"Well, shortly after Sophie left, the war began. We assumed she was dead after we heard that only one warship came back in bad shape. I guess she was living with you and your apprentice during the war."

"She did more than _live_ with us. She cleaned, cooked, and messed up my potions by accident a few times. Markl and I were existing, Sophie came in and flipped our lives upside down. She saved my life in the process. I love Sophie."

Lettie looks me over.

"Like I was saying, my family gave up hope after the first warship came back. Mother went to Kingsbury away on 'buisness.' She has been gone for a fortnight when the rest of my family heard of how bad the war was getting. Things were getting tight around Market Chipping and we had to decide to stay or leave, without my mother. We all agreed that if we stayed, we would be in more danger than if we left. We gathered our things, and took the last boat out of Ingary. While we were at sea, the enemy flew over us and dropped bombs on our ship. My grandmother and I barely escaped with the few posessions we had left. Everyone else from our family is gone."

She pauses and looks at me, "How did Sophie get so lucky?"

I thoughtfully look at my soon to be sister in law. "Sophie was always lucky, she just couldn't see it."

"So why are you here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to take you back to Sophie." Her eyebrows bunch together in confusion.

"Take me back?"

"Yes. I'm here to bring you back to live with Sophie and I."

"I can't leave." Astonishment crosses my face and makes an appearance in my words.

"WHAT?" I yell. I can feel the anger and shock welling up inside me. All the different possiblitlies fogging up my mind.

"My grandmother is very ill. If we move her she might die," she calmy explains as if nothing were wrong.

I've come all this way to find out that Sophie's family _can't_ come back! What will Sophie think? How will she feel? Will she think I failed her? Will she hate me? What about the wedding? We can't get married if we don't have our family tree.

"Doyouhaveanyfamilyrecords?" I hatily blurt out.

"Excuse me?"

"Do you have any family records?" I ask again, my impatience growing by the second.

"I saved them when we left the shop, but when the ship was bombed, the book was ruined. I'm sorry. I still have the book, but a few pages are missing and the ink has faded." Defeated by salty ocean water.

"Would your grandmother remember?"

"Remember what?"

I let an exasperated sigh out as I try to contain my annoyance with my future sister in law.

"Would your grandmother remember the family tree? If I fixed what I could, could she help me solve the rest?"

"It's possible, but like I said she is very weak and might not remember a lot of things," Lettie explains.

"Where's the book? I've got work to do," I say.

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**So? What did you guys think? Did I do a good job with Lettie or should I try and change her a bit to make her more herself? My chapters are getting longer and longer. I hope you like them. Please, please, please Read and Review! Every review helps me make the story better! Thanks:)**

**Longest chapter ever! 2,300 words...WHOOP! :P**


	9. Chapter 9: Suprises

**Hey Guys! Thank you so much for reviewing. You know it means the world to me? A big thank you to purpledragon6 for reviewing on more than one occasion:)**

**I apologize for such a long leave of absence. I kept telling myself that I would get the chapter written tomorrow. And that repeated for several weeks, but I am back! So without further ado, the chapter...**

**Disclaimer: I am not Hayao Miyazaki or Dianne Jones, so none of the characters belong to me, sadly.**

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Sophie's POV

I wake up and stretch my arms out. My right hand brushes the cold sheets of Howl's half of the bed. I turn on my side and look at where he usually sleeps. The sheets are still made and are cold as ice. I guess Howl hasn't come home yet.

I roll of bed. I stand up and walk over to the armoire to get dressed for the day. I stop and stare. Funny. I usually wake up, get dressed and place Howl's clothes on the handle of the door. But I suppose, I don't have to do that today.

I open the armoire and choose my outfit for the day. A plain blue dress with an apron sewn on at the waist. No frills, ribbons, or jewels were added to the dress. Just a single solitary pocket on the apron with my initials embroidered on. I tug the dress on and put on a pair of brown leather shoes. But before I close the closet my eyes linger on the other contents of the closet.

Next to my dresses, are Howl's many outfits. Dozens of shirts, pants, and suits all hanging up in the armoire, clean and ironed to perfection. Before I know what's happening, my fingers are dancing over the fine fabrics. I peruse through all of his clothes as if I'm searching for Howl in the armoire. Something glimmers in the back of the wooden closet. My fingers stop dancing as I ponder what it could be. I tentatively push the coats one at a time away from the object.

"Sophie?" a voice rings out.

Startled, I whip around to find an exhausted Markl standing in the doorway.

"Markl! You scared me."

"What were you doing looking in the armoire?" he asks, voice scratchy from all the coughing yesterday?

"I thought I saw something. Must have been my imagination playing tricks on me," I say as I kneel down to look at Markl. His eyes are red-rimmed and there's a subtle hint of dried drool on the corner of his mouth. His bright red hair is matted down and tangled.

"Sophie?"

"I'm feeling much better now. Can I have breakfast?"

"Tell you what. You go take a bath and I'll start breakfast okay?" I ask.

"Can't I have breakfast first?" Markl pouts and tries to give me puppy dog eyes, but the crusts on his eyelashes make it look like he's trying not to blink.

"Markl..." I say trying to be stern.

"Fine," he says defeatedly. He saunters off to the bathroom and I turn and look back at the armoire. I could just take a peek...No! I have breakfast to make and besides it's not like the object is going anywhere.

I step down the stairs. Left, right, left, right, don't trip on the loose nail, left, right, left, right.

"Good morning, Calcifer!" I say cheerily. He doesn't seem to notice and just stares at the door.

"What's wrong?" The fire demon turns in the hearth and looks at me.

"Nothing's wrong. Just thinking that Howl should be here and not out on some wild goose chase."

I let out a sigh and my bangs float upward only to settle back down on my forehead.

Goose chase? So finding my family is a wasted cause now? "You're right he should be here. But, we have to continue life as it is until he comes back." Calcifer nods in agreement. I smile at him and turn to get the pan and the food.

"Besides, it's not like Howl's gone for a month or a year. On past attempts to find my family, he's only been gone a week at most. He'll be home soon, right?"

The fire demon stares at me, mouth wide open.

"Right?" I asked again.

Before Calcifer can reply, Markl comes bounding down the stairs, his bright, red hair flicking water in various directions with every step. He runs to his seat at the table, grabs his untenils, and sits smiling at me.

"Markl?"

"Yes, Sophie?" he asks innocently.

"Why is your hair all wet?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, usually when you come down to breakfast after a bath, your hair is dry. Why now is your hair wet?"

"Because...be-because..."

"Because you were so hungry that you didn't mind that your hair was wet?"

"Sure, let's go with that," he says as he smiles at me. I let slide because he was just sick. I take the frying pan over to his plate and pour out a small portion of food. I don't want to overwhelm his sensitive stomach. While he slowly munches on a piece of toast, I run upstairs and grab a towel. I rush back downstairs to find Markl's plate clean.

"Can I have more, please?"

"Sure, as soon as I cook some more food." I hand him the towel. "Dry your hair off while I cook."

"Umm...Sophie?"

"Yes, Markl?"

"This is Master Howl's towel."

"Oh, sorry. I forgot that he likes to have his own towels." My smile evaporates remembering that Howl could be in danger right now. But in a last ditch effort to be positive I add, "Why don't you go upstairs and get another one?"

"Okay. Be right back."

Shortly after Markl runs up the stairs, I turn to Calcifer.

"He's coming back right?"

"Sophie, don't worry about Howl. He'll be fine. He always was, always has been, and always will be fine."

"I suppose you're right. I'm just worried about him. Is it wrong for me to be worried that the man I love could possibly get trapped or hurt or-"

"No, it's not wrong. And besides even if it is a trap, it's very unlikely that he'll get killed."

"CALCIFER!"

"What?"

"That's not helping!"

"Sorry. It's just...well...nobody has ever really relied on me for comfort. It's always 'Calcifer, make some hot water for my bath' or 'Calcifer, can you cook this for us' or 'Calcifer, what do you think.' Never once has anyone asked me to comfort them. Not Howl, not Markl. Sophie, you're the first person to see me as more of a flame or a demon. You treat me like you would any other human."

I sit there, open mouthed. Nobody? Not one other person has treated him with some dignity? Showed him some flicker of kindness?

"I...I..."

Knock, knock!

"It's the Kingsbury door."

"Oh! Right thanks."

I walk slowly over to the door and change the portal to the Kingsbury home. I open the door slowly and gently.

"Hello. How may I help you, sir?" I asked a man in a black cloak. I was used to handing out potions for people who came by when Howl was out. But this was more bizarre than any of the other customers before. He was taller I am, and probably taller than Howl as well. He had a trimmed white beard that stopped mid-torso, shining green eyes with laugh lines around his thin mouth. He was wearing a black suit and was sporting a ruby pendant that looked vaguely familiar to me. Where had I seen that from before?

"Yes, I am looking for Ms. Sophie Hatter." Why is he looking for me? What does he want?

"I am sorry, Sophie isn't home. You can come back later though."

"It's fine, I can wait here. I have some time to spare before I head back." The man walked passed me and into the castle. He sat down in the first chair he saw, which was Markl's seat. Coincidentally, Markl came bounding down the stairs the moment the stranger took his chair.

"HEY! THAT'S MY SEAT!" The stranger looked up in alarm. His gaze swept the area until he saw Markl.

"My apologies, lad," the stranger said. I served Markl some more breakfast now that his hair wasn't dripping on it.

"Would you like some tea?"

"A cup of tea would be lovely. Thank you for offering." I poured two cups of tea and sat down across from the stranger.

"This is delicious. Where'd you get this tea from?"

"Market Chipping. They make all the delicacies you find here in Kingsbury. Dresses, jewels, hats, and tea, amongst other items." I pause and think of what to say next. "You didn't say why you were looking for me."

"You're Sophie?"

"Yes, now could you tell me why it is you are here?"

"Of course, of course. Just one moment please." He started rummaging through his pockets looking for something.

"Ah-ha! Here it is." He pulled an official looking scroll out from his coat pocket. He cleared his throat and read in what I think was supposed to be an official tone, "Ms. Sophie Hatter, I am pleased to announce that his Majesty Prince Justin would like to cordially invite you to tea tomorrow morning. Signed his Royal Highness." He handed the scroll to me.

Tea with Prince Justin? How did he know who I-

"Turnip Head!"

"What?" he asked.

"During the war, Prince Justin was put under an evil spell. Everyone thought he went missing, but in fact he turned into a turnip head and travelled with my friends and I."

"Okay. So, will you accept his majesty's invitation?" Should I? I mean last time I saw him he said he was in love with me. Without knowing it, I started twisting my engagement ring. The man noticed.

"Sophie?"

"Hmm...yes?"

"Are you engaged?" I look down at my finger and realize what I was doing. I can feel my cheeks developing a blush.

"Yes, I am engaged."

"Howl's a lucky fellow." WHAT?

"How do you know Howl?"

"I practically raised him."

"You? Wait! Who are you?"

"Oh forgive me! I forgot to introduce myself earlier didn't I?" he asks, trying to suppress a chuckle. "I am Howl's Uncle Corvus."

"Howl's uncle?" Howl's uncle...Howl's uncle...where have I heard of this uncle before... "OH! You're the uncle that introduced and first taught him magic." I exclaim happily.

"Well, yes and no." I shoot Corvus a confused look. "No, I did not introduce him to magic, his Mother did that before she passed away. But, yes I did teach him magic first."

"His mother?" I ask him. What else has Howl hidden from me?

"Look, Sophie. There is so much I need to explain to you, but so little time." He looks me in the eye. "All I can tell you for right now is that when Howl left to learn magic from Madam Sulliman, his father sent me to keep an eye on him. I went undercover as the King's messenger and personal assistant."

He breaks eye contact and looks around for something. He reaches in one of his coat pockets and pulls out a pocket watch. "I've got to return to the palace now with your answer for Prince Justin." What answer?

He senses I forgot about the question. "Will you accept his invitation for tea?" I turn to Calcifer and Markl. Nothing is said. I look at Calcifer. He gives a solitary nod, and Markl just smiles.

"Sure. I guess so." I say, uncertainly.

"I'll be back with the details tonight. Until then, good day!" Corvus bows with a flourish, turns on his heel, and leaves without another word.

"That was peculiar." I say to nobody in particular. The sentence just hangs there without an answer. We stand and stare at the door, waiting for someone to come through it.

"Sophie?" Markl's voice breaks the silence settled on us.

"Hmm...yes?"

"What were you looking at in the armoire earlier?"

"I...I don't really know. Calcifer?" I break his focus on the door. "Do you know of anything Howl might have kept in the armoire?"

"I'm guessing you mean, besides clothes?" the demon replies sarcastically.

"Mmmhhmmm."

"Well, to be honest, I'm not sure." I look up the stairs to our bedroom doorway. "Go look. Bring what you find back down here."

"WAIT!" Markl yells.

"What?"

"That might be something Master Howl might not want us to see."

Before I can speak up, Calcifer defends for me. "Markl, you and I both know that Howl only uses magic for three things: his hair, protecting the castle, and surprising Sophie." I feel a blush rising on my cheeks as Calcifer continues. "If Sophie puts it back in exactly the same spot with everything looking exactly as it was, I think we'll be fine."

"I'll go get whatever it is in there."

"Be careful Sophie! Remember how it was when you found it, so you can return it just like it was. Alright?"

"All right." I ascend the stair case, walk into our room and look at the armoire. What is it that's in there that Howl doesn't want me to see? I shuffle past the clothes and stop when I see the shimmering again. I push the clothes back to take a look.

There sitting in the back of the closet is a dress unlike any I've ever seen. It's a magnificent crystalline white. The dress features a lace bodice decorated with silk apple blossoms. In each blossom, a diamond seed shone out. The skirt is scattered with blossoms on tule covering the satin underlay. A lovely satin sash and back bow make a graceful finish.

There's a sharp rapping on the door.

"Co-come in," I call out, tears welling up in my eyes.

I hear the door squeak open and light footsteps heading over to me. Within a matter of moments the person is standing behind me. They place a hand on my shoulder.

"So you found the dress, did you?" I turn around in shock only to see...him.

"Howl?" I ask. The tears threatening to spill now.

"I'm home, love," he says with a smile.

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**I am evil, yes? I shall elaborate in the next chapters, I promise!**

**So? What did you guys think? My chapters are getting longer and longer. I hope you like them. Again, I am so sorry for neglecting you guys for like the past month and a half. Please, please, please Read and Review! Every review helps me make the story better! Thanks:)**


	10. Temporary Author's Note

****Note: THIS IS NOT AN UPDATE, but I have decided I will update every 4th of the month. I know that's horribly slow, but with school, deabte, environmental club, my nonexistant relationship, as well as facebook, my emails, youtube, and every book and fanfiction I read...I'm kinda low on time to update. BUT I will update every 4th of the month. Count on that :)**

**Also, when I update my story...this note will dissapear and reapear at the beginning of my next chapter**


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